The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Coal India Limited (CIL) to allow the union’s participation (INTUC) in the upcoming 22nd September meeting of the Standardisation Committee. The meeting will decide the annual bonus for coal workers, making it a significant development for the workforce across CIL subsidiaries. The decision is big relief to the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).
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Court Found Exclusion a Violation of Earlier Order
Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul), while hearing INTUC’s petition (CAN 3/2025), observed that the company’s move to exclude INTUC from the meeting violated the High Court’s 10th February 2023 order, which had permitted the union’s participation as no rival faction had approached the court. The judge made it clear that CIL was duty-bound to invite INTUC for the deliberations.
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Arguments Presented and Relief Granted
INTUC was represented by senior counsels Soumya Majumdar, Victor Banerjee and Barnamay Basak, who argued that the exclusion was arbitrary and against judicial directives. Accepting the contention, the court directed that INTUC must be given the opportunity to attend the meeting. The court also listed the case for its next hearing in December 2025 to review compliance and further proceedings.
The order is being seen as a significant victory for INTUC and coal sector workers, as the Standardisation Committee plays a key role in determining the annual production-linked bonus. Industry experts say that CIL will now have to either comply or challenge the order through an appeal, a decision that will impact labour relations in the coming weeks.
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